Note: I dedicate this chapter to the club I can't get away from "SWAEHB"
also Thanks to Beau for writing the Steve piccy for me.
Chapter Five
Endless stretches of road passed underneath the wheels. The sky was brilliantly clear with the stars shining bright. It was as if the heavens were celebrating. A cool breeze floated through the open windows of the bus. Only two souls were awake inside the bus. In the back seats Rizzo had taken an scarf of Christy’s and fastened it between two pieces of the mountain of luggage. Now he was snoring lightly muttering something every now and then about a Yolanda. A few seats up Lisa had created a bed out of Kermit’s trunk sitting between the seats and a few pillows. Scooter’s head bobbed in time with the wheels as he too slumbered away.
Kermit sat thoughtfully wide awake in the seat behind where Christy was driving. Quietly strummed his banjo tuning it every now and then. A slow almost mournful but yet hopeful ballad began creating itself. Kermit began softly singing,
“This looks familiar, vaguely familiar,
Almost unreal, yet, it's too soon to feel yet.
Close to my soul, and yet so far away.
I'm going to go back there someday.”
Christy looked up in the mirror and smiled. She began humming along her voice adding in the second verse,
“Sun rises, night falls, sometimes the sky calls.
Is that a song there, and do I belong there?
I've never been there, but I know the way.
I'm going to go back there someday.”
Kermit reached down and adjusted his movie script so he could see the words better. After a few more bars both he and Christy continued,
“Come and go with me, it's more fun to share,
We'll both be completely at home in midair.
We're flyin', not walkin', on featherless wings.
We can hold onto love like invisible strings.
There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met.
Part heaven, part space, or have I found my place?
You can just visit, but I plan to stay.
I'm going to go back there someday.
I'm going to go back there someday.”
“It’s about time you put that to some music,” Christy stated.
“It seemed like the right time and place. It still doesn’t sound right,” Kermit said jotting down some notes on the page next to him.
“Maybe it’s because you weren’t meant to sing it.” Lisa said tiptoeing her way to the front.
“Yeah, some pipe dream getting The Great Gonzo to be in something I write. You know how impossible he is to get a hold of?” Kermit muttered.
“Miracles happen Kermit,” Christy said stifling a yawn.
“You doing okay Christy?” Lisa asked settling herself into the seat across from Kermit.
“Yeah, we’re only a couple of hours away from Atlanta. I’ll pull over there and we can switch or we can all just sleep. It’s up to you,” Christy yawned again.
“Too bad we can’t afford a hotel,” Lisa remarked as she began drifting back off to sleep.
Silence fell on the bus as the conversation ended and the others fell asleep. The endless stretch of highway lay before the bus. Every once in a while a lone car would pass. A lone figure could be seen in the far distance walking with its back to the bus and holding out a hand. The full moon lit the road making driving a bit easier. Christy shook her head in an attempt to fight her fast approaching fatigue. She glanced at the figure walking for a moment. Just in time she looked back to see someone dragging a cow across the road. Quickly she slammed on the brakes, “Holy peanut butter sandwiches! Where did that come from?” She exclaimed as Rizzo was propelled from his hammock to the windshield. Scooter fell into the floorboard with a thud as Lisa and Kermit jerked forward.
“That’s a cow not a sandwich. Where did you learn how to drive?” Rizzo mumbled with his face against the glass. A squeak was heard as he slid down the glass.
“I took a correspondence course,’ she cracked rolling her neck, “Everyone okay back there?”
Scooter stood up, walked to the front of the bus, and sat down next to Kermit, “Hey what’s that?”
“The…uh…cow we almost hit” Lisa said watching the doe and her two fawns leave the road safely.
“I think he was referring to that,” Kermit sat back up and pointed.
Up ahead the moonlight spotlighted the walking figure. He walked tall, with his back to the bus, a silhouette against the darkness. His coat is black and thick shielding him from the cold night; worn patches covered his elbows where the coat had worn thin. His jeans were worn at the cuffs with strings brushing the asphalt quietly. A guitar bounced along against his back sending his long wavy blond hair streaming behind him in the wind. He stepped back a ways from the road and turned slowly. A grin lit his face as he waved and made his way to the stopped bus.
“Oh…” Christy muttered
“Wow…” Lisa finished.
“Girls!” Rizzo exclaimed rolling his eyes.
“Should we offer him a ride?” Scooter asked uncertain.
“I’m not sure. It’s kinda weird that he’s out on the road all alone at night,” Kermit said waving a hand in front of Christy’s face.
“Well I for one don’t trust him. Look what he’s done to the girls. Hello…Lisa…Lisa!!” Rizzo said hopping up to Lisa’s eyelevel.
Both girls blushed coming back from their trance. “Oh come on guys. All he has is a guitar.” Lisa remarked.
“And he needs help.” Christy finished opening the bus door.
By this time the stranger reached the bus and stepped through the open door. His eyes grew wide. Two girls, a frog, a rat, and a yellow humanish looking thing looked at him with just as many questions. Finally the stranger cleared his throat running a hand through his hair, “I saw you stop suddenly. I hope everyone is okay. Ummm…is there any way I could get a ride?”
Everyone looked back and forth in a silent debate. After a few moments of glares and raised eyebrows everyone turned to Kermit. Clearing his throat he extended a hand in friendship, “Welcome. I’m Kermit. The driver is Christy. Next to me is Lisa perched on the top of the seat there is Rizzo and behind me is Scooter.”
“Pick a seat and toss your stuff in the back. Where ya headed?” Christy asked.
“No where in particular. I’m Steve Whitmire by the way. Once upon a time I used to be a puppeteer. After that I worked for a little public broadcast and local shows. Now I just kinda wander from job to job. Picking up what I can here and there. I was hoping to catch back up with my family in Atlanta. Maybe board with my parents until I can get back on my feet again.
Christy and Lisa both turned to Kermit grinning with their eyes pleading. Rizzo huffed back to his hammock and began sulking once more. Scooter shook his head and settled back in his seat. Kermit shrugged and shook the new comer’s hand. Kermit wasn’t quite sure as to how he became leader of this ragtag bunch.
Hours passed and finally lights began to appear on the horizon. By this time the boys warmed up to the hitchhiker. Steve auditioned his talents for Scooter and Kermit. By the time a sign that said “Welcome to Music City” zipped past Steve had accepted Kermit’s invitation to join the others and become a part of the stage show.
“Everyone…I have a confession to make.” Christy interrupted the dueling banjos of Kermit and Steve.
“You missed Atlanta didn’t you?” Rizzo piped up joining the other’s at long last.
“ How many times have we told you to use a map?” Lisa groaned ,” Where are we?”
“Nashville. Apparently that off ramp I took didn’t go into town like I thought and well…we’re in Nashville.” Christy blushed muttering quietly.
“You are so your Father’s daughter,” Lisa rolled her eyes.
“And why didn’t you say anything hours ago?” Kermit asked.
“Because we’re still heading in the right direction.” Christy stated turning the bus off the highway and into the heart of town.
“Where are you going?” Scooter asked looking around.
Quickly Christy explained that she still had the number and address to the former owners of the bus. Over the years she had kept in contact with Dr. Teeth. Everyone grew quiet as the bus maneuvered down the lonely streets. Soon they rolled up to a darkened coffeehouse. The outside reminisced of an old clapboard church. The windows shook from the sounds of a keyboard. The air smelled of coffeebeans and good music as Christy bounded up the steps. With a knock the music stopped and the door opened despite the sign saying “closed”
The door opened as the occupants of the bus watched. They could see Christyb talking animatedly with someone. Soon she motioned for everyone to join her. “Everyone, I’d like to to meet the orginial owner of the clown car. Dr. Teeth of the former Electric Mayhem.”
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